After Hours
by heaven'sgirl
Summary: Pre-Incident. It all started one sleepless night, when Claire found herself at the viewing room of her enclosure, with only the thick glass protecting her from a mouth full of sharp teeth.
1. Part 1 of 2

**After Hours  
** by heavensgirl

SYNOPSIS: Pre-Incident. It all started one sleepless night, when Claire found herself at the viewing room of her enclosure, with only the thick glass protecting her from a mouth full of sharp teeth.

Standard disclaimer applies.

* * *

Part 1 of 2

Claire never had problems when it came to sleeping. She had a strict daily schedule that included when her bed time was for that night so she had enough energy for all her activities the following day. Her body had fully adjusted to that strict schedule: every time her head hits the pillow by 10:30 pm, it would only take a few minutes before she falls into a deep sleep.

But tonight wasn't the case. Claire was on her back, gazing at the ceiling and counting imaginary sheep that she thought would eventually lull her to sleep. After counting to 300, Claire sighed, got up from her bed, and opened the door that led to her balcony that overlooked the vast expanse of Jurassic World.

As part of the package of working for Jurassic World, employees were given nice living situations within the park / resort. Employees were given rooms akin to hotel accommodations, complete with a dining facility and gym access. However, she knew of someone who disliked such luxury and instead insisted on building his own bungalow near the lagoon of the park's raptor compound…

Claire sighed again, annoyed that she would be thinking of that certain someone at this random hour; she did not need any more distractions from her sleep. She had an important meeting with business investors at 9:00 in the morning; she couldn't afford looking haggard in front of them. But she had tried everything to help her sleep: she did her usual light reading, drank some warm milk, and listened to some classical music before she tried the clichéd sheep counting. None of them worked.

In the deafening silence, she heard a short roar in the near distance. Claire gripped on the balcony's railing, panic rising at the thought that one of the park's assets somehow escaped. She knew that she would get a call from the ACU if a situation like that happens, so after a few, tense minutes, Claire sighed in relief that she did not get such a call.

She knew that unmistakable roar. Her bedroom's balcony happened to be facing one of the most popular attractions of the park and she had heard of that roar before, even at this time of the night when the park was closed and only the maintenance crew and ACU security members were out and about in the park.

Another roar from the same source. Claire bit her bottom lip and tapped impatiently on the balcony railing, internally debating whether or not she should go out there at this hour just so she can satisfy the growing curiosity within her.

It was after the third, consecutive roar that Claire grabbed a sweater and slippers from her closet, not minding that she was still in her pajamas when she walked quietly out of her room and out of the building's glass doors.

Claire didn't feel afraid at all while she traipsed in the park at night. There were still a handful of restaurants open for happy hour and the park was full of security guards that were posted at almost every turn. Many of them noticed her but none of them stopped her for some questioning – maybe it was because she was the park's manager and didn't really want to bother asking why she was wandering in the park at almost midnight, clad only in her pajamas.

It didn't take long for her to arrive outside the entrance of the Tyrannosaurus Rex Kingdom. She heard another roar, softer than the last but still strong that she felt the ground beneath her quiver. Claire inhaled deeply and went inside the compound, using her badge to go to the viewing gallery through corridors that only employees can use.

When she turned on the lights as soon as she arrived in the gallery, Claire could see its occupant lying down near the trees, its eyes wide open yet it seemed to be immobile. Claire put her face close to the glass, not understanding why the T-Rex wasn't moving.

"She's just waking up after they tranquilized her a few hours ago," a voice said from behind. A startled Claire turned around and came face to face with a smiling Owen Grady, the park's popular "raptor whisperer."

Owen chuckled and looked her up and down. "Never thought I'd see the day when my boss is dressed only in pajamas… better yet, in shorts. Nice legs."

Claire rolled her eyes and scowled. "Are you eager to be unemployed, Mr. Grady?"

Owen pouted. "Jeez. It was a compliment."

Claire's attention turned back to the T-Rex, who was beginning to move from its position. "I heard her roar quite a few times, but how could that be if she was tranquilized?"

"I guess dinosaurs can dream, too," Owen said. When Claire gave him an incredulous look, he shrugged. "What? Maybe Rexy was dreaming that she was chasing a prey and she was roaring in victory. Or maybe she's roar sleeping… you know, like sleep talking… except she's a dinosaur."

Claire rolled her eyes again at the ridiculousness of his words. "You have such a wild imagination, Mr. Grady."

"It's Owen. And I like to think the dinos are kind of like humans, too."

"Hmm…"

"So, what are _you_ doing here? Isn't it past your bedtime already?"

"I couldn't sleep," replied Claire, watching as the T-Rex slowly stood up, shaking her head as the remaining effects of the tranquilizer were wearing off. "What about you?"

"Tonight's her scheduled check-up. They always need a few extra guys to help tranquilize her," explained Owen. "She already knows when it's that time of the month, so she's pretty good at avoiding the tranquilizer. It took a few tries to finally get one to hit her."

Claire smiled. "Clever girl."

As if the dinosaur had heard her comment, Rexy turned around and stared directly at their direction. Claire took a sharp intake of breath as Rexy stopped mere inches from where Claire and Owen stood, with only the thick glass protecting them from this majestic dinosaur.

Claire didn't bother to run and hide, knowing that the T-Rex already spotted her and Owen. Rexy tilted her head and seemed to be examining the two tiny people in front of her, taking a special interest in Claire.

Claire and the T-Rex stood there for a few minutes staring at each other. Claire was used to the looks that many of her co-workers gave her – looks that were oftentimes fearful because of her position within the company. But the look from the T-Rex was quite the opposite: it was a predatory look, one that made Claire aware how small she really was in this park full of dinosaurs. And maybe that was why Claire felt drawn to her.

Claire placed a hand on the glass, right where Rexy was. She felt quite silly, but she wanted to somehow tell the T-Rex how awed she was at its strength and fearlessness.

The dinosaur growled and exhaled loudly, creating a big cloud of fog on the glass. After a few seconds, the fog cleared and Rexy was already walking back towards the wooded area of her paddock.

Owen was chuckling again. "I think she likes you."

Claire smiled and gazed at the retreating form of her new friend.

* * *

After that night, Claire made it a habit to visit Rexy's paddock almost every night, after the park's closed down for the day and most of the guests were sleeping comfortably in their rooms. Sometimes she would bring a book; other times she would bring some of her paperwork and peruse through them while she sat on the floor of the viewing room until Claire would yawn and bid goodbye to her companion on the other side of the glass.

Claire couldn't help it. For reasons beyond her understanding, she felt comfortable and – dare she say it – at peace when she was in Paddock 9. She actually liked being in the same vicinity with this terrifying and powerful creature. She didn't care what other people thought; she just knew she wanted to be there as much as she can.

Owen – who eventually figured out her late night activity – would sometimes drop by and accompany her until one of them decides it's time to leave. Unlike Claire who would always bring something to do to pass the time, Owen preferred to spend his time by distracting Claire on whatever she was doing.

Even though his distractions annoyed her, Claire was grateful for the extra company. She also quietly appreciated that Owen never questioned why she was in the T-Rex paddock often and late at night. She wouldn't even have an answer if he asked, anyway.

"You like it here, huh?" asked Owen. They were both sitting cross legged on the floor, watching as Rexy walked around in her enclosure.

Claire nodded. "Yeah… it's nice."

"Are you planning to come by again tomorrow?"

Claire looked at him questioningly. "As usual. Why do you ask?"

"Just making sure," he replied. He stood up and offered her a hand. "Guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

Claire took his offered hand and stood up as well. She raised an eyebrow at him and wondered why he asked such a question. He should know by now that she was always here at night. "Yeah, I'll be here."

* * *

She got her answer the following night. When Claire made her way to the viewing room, she was genuinely surprised with what she saw there: in the middle of the glass enclosure was a picnic blanket and two pillows. Owen was also there, a basket in hand.

Claire stood with her mouth gaping at the scene before her. It was only after Owen's hearty laugh that she snapped out of her shocked state.

"You're speechless, that's a first," he said, setting down the basket and motioning for her to sit down on one of the pillows. "I know you like sitting on the floor when you're here, but doesn't your ass hurt after a while?"

Before she decided to sit, she went to the glass and saw her ever loyal companion chewing on what appeared to be pieces of her meal for her late dinner that night. Claire had cringed the first time she witnessed that, but now she smiled, feeling unusually happy that her T-Rex friend was also having what seemed to be a nice night.

Claire knocked on the glass. It only took a few steps for the T-Rex to meet Claire. The dinosaur emitted a low growl then breathed out heavily again, fogging up the glass like it did the first time Claire visited. For Claire, she always took that as a greeting from the T-Rex.

Rexy let out another growl before turning around and finishing her meal. Claire smiled before plopping down across Owen, who was grinning at her.

"Look at you being all BFFs with Rexy," he commented, laughing and opening the picnic basket. He took out a variety of chips and candies and two bottles of beer.

Claire eyed him suspiciously. "Uhm, what's this?"

"Well, I figured you already had dinner earlier so snacks looked like the better option for a late night rendezvous," he replied, gesturing for her to pick any bag she wanted.

Claire shook her head, explaining to Owen that she disliked junk food. She watched him open a bag of chips and couldn't help asking, "Rendezvous? Don't tell me this is your idea of a date, Owen."

Owen smirked at her. "Do you want it to be?"

Claire rolled her eyes. She had known Owen ever since he became an employee five years ago when she was just an assistant to the park's manager at the time. They first met in person when she accompanied the manager for Owen's first time evaluation, a month after he was hired… it was also the first time she had made an embarrassment of herself in front of Owen and other employees that worked in the raptor paddock: as soon as she stepped foot near the gates, Claire tripped, scraped her knees, and became covered in mud.

Owen was immediately on her side to offer his assistance, but Claire was a prideful woman – she shooed his offered hand, stood up on her own, and held her head high despite the filthy state she was in and the stinging sensation on her knees. Owen smiled at her, impressed with the way she held herself despite her obvious embarrassment. In fact, he was so impressed with her that he bluntly asked her out in front of the manager and his co-workers. Claire immediately declined, but the stubborn man never stopped asking her out ever since.

"I don't consider this a date, Owen," Claire said, sighing as she recalled that embarrassing day.

Owen's smile grew wider. "Would you like to go on a _real_ date with me, Claire?"

Claire huffed in annoyance. "Don't you get tired of asking me out?"

"Never."

"Why?"

"Because I'd really like to go on a real date with you."

"You can't be serious."

Owen frowned. "I'm actually a bit offended you said that. Look, I know I can be annoying at times and I do enjoy getting on your nerves, but I'm dead serious about wanting to take you out on a date."

The seriousness and honesty in his voice did not go unnoticed by Claire. Feeling guilty, she ducked her head shyly as she looked away from Owen's intense stare. She felt silly when she felt herself starting to blush; she was a professional at controlling her feelings (damn it!), but this man somehow made her lose that control. She was wary of Owen's intentions, but she had to admit she was impressed on how persistent he was – it reminded Claire of herself.

"You're very stubborn, you know that?" Claire said, turning her gaze back to Owen.

"Look who's talking," teased Owen. "So, what do you say?"

Before Claire can give Owen a reply to his offer, she felt the floor vibrate as Rexy roared nearby. She looked out to the paddock, wondering what had caused her dinosaur friend to bellow, but her focus instantly shifted when Owen cleared his throat, waiting for a reply.

Her heart was beating wildly when she answered him, "How about a nice dinner this Friday?"

"Sounds like a plan," Owen said. He smiled and raised his beer in her direction. "Cheers."

Even though Claire's brain racked up countless of reasons why the two of them together won't work, her heart insisted on giving him a chance. She surmised that she can make some kind of itinerary so that their first date would be successful and memorable enough to possibly make way for a second date…

She would learn later after their first date that she should've listened to her brain rather than her heart in the first place.

* * *

A/N: Came up with this prompt when I saw that promotional JW poster of Claire and the I-Rex. Put my own little twist on it for the purpose of this story.

I like the idea that Claire and Rexy had some kind of connection or bond (call me crazy). That scene with Claire opening Paddock 9 and Rexy coming out… AWESOME, I TELL YA. It's too awesome.

Reviews and likes are always appreciated. Please stay tuned for Chapter 2 of 2! I promise Ch. 2 will focus more on Claire and Rexy with some Claire x Owen sprinkled throughout.

Yours Truly, HG


	2. Part 2 of 2

**After Hours (Part 2 of 2)  
** by heavensgirl

This is a bit more angst-y and longer chapter than the previous one. Thank you all so much for the thoughtful reviews and for the likes / kudos as well! Words cannot perfectly express how much your feedback means to me :)

Standard disclaimer applies.

* * *

PART 2: When the date doesn't go according to plan, an upset Claire goes to the only place where she knows she can find solace: Paddock 9.

* * *

The moment she met Owen at the restaurant, she immediately knew that the date would turn out to be a disastrous one. Owen arrived at their meeting place in his noisy motorcycle, wearing a short-sleeved Henley shirt and colorful board shorts, a wide grin on his face. He smelled of the outdoors and not at all what she had imagined – or _hoped_ – her date would present himself.

Her dread was made worse when he laughed at her itinerary. Claire felt embarrassed and couldn't bring herself to explain to him that this was her first date in _years_. She made the itinerary because she wanted it to turn out perfectly – she was a rather busy person, so she wanted to make sure they were able to use what limited time she had to make the most out of their first date.

As part of her itinerary, their dinner was supposed to be followed by a nice stroll at the Bamboo Forest, but Owen insisted they make a pit stop at one of the bars for a few shots of tequila ("To help you loosen up a bit," Owen had said). That was the last straw for Claire.

"My diet doesn't include tequila," she had told him. Owen raised an amused eyebrow and placed a shot glass on her hand. Claire gave him a glare and shoved it back to him. "Good night, Mr. Grady."

"Wait, what about-"

She didn't hear the rest of his words. She power walked her way out of the bar and when she heard Owen call out to her, she ran towards the only place where she knew she would find peace and solace: Paddock 9.

So here she was in the viewing room, hugging her knees to her chest as she quietly cried out of self-pity and disappointment. Maybe she should have been more honest with Owen why she really made that itinerary; however, a part of her was disappointed that he didn't seem to take her seriously.

A low growl pulled her out of her thoughts as Claire saw Rexy stare at her from the other side of the glass. Claire dabbed on her moist eyes and forced a smile, trying not to look weak in front of her companion. Rexy seemed to sense Claire's distress and made another growling sound before nudging the glass enclosure with her head, surprising Claire completely as the floor beneath her shook from the T-Rex's actions.

"No, don't do that," Claire softly chided her even though she knew Rexy wouldn't have understood her at all. Claire shook her head firmly. "No."

As Claire kept shaking her head, Rexy stopped her low growling and settled on sitting near the glass enclosure, keeping her powerful gaze trained at Claire who gave her a small, grateful smile. For the rest of the night, the two of them sat in companionable silence.

* * *

Claire was on her way to Paddock 11 to meet Dr. Wu and learn about the progress of his newest creation when her phone rang. It was Karen.

Claire pressed a button to turn on her car's Bluetooth. "Hi, Karen."

" _I can't believe you won't be visiting us for Thanksgiving."_

Claire cringed; she had left her sister a voicemail a few days ago to let her know that she wouldn't be able to spend time with Karen and her family for Thanksgiving. "So, you finally got my message."

" _Yeah, well it's been hectic here and I didn't hear your message until this morning."_

Her sister was clearly upset and Claire's gut told her it wasn't just because Claire had to bail on her family for Thanksgiving. "Karen, I promise I will make it up to you. How about you, Scott, and the kids visit me here at the park for the Christmas holidays? I can get you guys VIP tickets."

" _You can do that?"_

Claire rolled her eyes. "Of course. I can book your flights and accommodations as well. I'll take care of everything."

There was a slight pause on the other side of the line. _"Just make it for two then; for Zach and Gray."_

"You and Scott don't want to visit? We have special events for the holidays that I think you'll enjoy."

" _We just have a few things we have to take care of. It'll be fun. You can have the kids for Christmas, and we'll have them back by New Year's. Come on, Claire. You haven't seen them in YEARS."_

Claire felt a familiar pang of sadness overtake her as she realized that it's been a long time since she's seen her sister and her nephews. "Sounds fun. I'll talk to you later, okay? I'm really sorry about Thanksgiving."

" _Yeah, well, that's not the first time I've heard that apology."_ There was some bitterness in her sister's tone, but Claire couldn't blame her.

"Karen…"

" _I'm sorry. I'm just upset… can't I be upset that I haven't seen my sister at all this year?"_

"I miss you too, Karen," Claire said, biting her bottom lip and ending the call.

Jurassic World's head scientist was waiting at the bottom of the steps when Claire arrived at the paddock. Some ACU members were also present to inspect the paddock's durability and security.

Wu had a smug look on his face as he ushered her in the observation tower. "She's grown. I think you'll love her."

Claire raised an eyebrow but said nothing as she walked to the shatterproof glass. She squinted to have a better look at a shape moving beyond the trees. Wu watched her for any reaction, but was dissatisfied at Claire's seemingly lack of interest.

"Some potential investors will be arriving at Jurassic World next month," Claire started as she turned to face Wu. "Tell me something about this new dinosaur that you think would get their attention."

Wu smirked. "She's our first genetically modified dinosaur hybrid."

That piqued Claire's interest. "Hybrid?"

"Her base genome is a T-Rex," Wu continued to inform her. "The rest is classified."

"When you mean T-Rex…"

"Why, our resident T-Rex, of course!" Wu said, his voice proud as he shared more details about his newest creation. "We wanted her to inherit some of Rexy's feistiness. But this one's going to be bigger and most likely better. Amazing, isn't it?"

Claire fought the urge to roll her eyes. In her opinion, no dinosaur will be as feisty and majestic as her friend Rexy. She kept that thought to herself though.

"What did you name it?" Claire asked, pointing at the dinosaur that emerged from the trees. Its piercing gaze sent a chill down Claire's spine.

Wu's smirk widened. "Indominus Rex, the untamable."

* * *

It was almost 10:30 at night when Claire – carrying a tote containing some leftover food from the company's Thanksgiving celebration – made her usual trip to Paddock 9. By now, most of the security personnel around the area knew about her late night stopovers. They never questioned her; some have even given her knowing smiles as she tiptoed her way to the viewing room.

"Happy Thanksgiving," Claire said, smiling as she saw her companion devour her extra meal for the night. Claire had asked one of Rexy's handlers if they can give her extra food that night as a Thanksgiving bonus before the inevitable monthly checkup that same night. The handler wanted to laugh at her strange request, but Claire's stern look and the seriousness of her voice shut him up.

As the T-Rex busied herself with her hearty meal, Claire sat on a blanket she had placed on the floor and proceeded to take small bites of the pumpkin pie she was able to salvage. A bittersweet smile graced her features as she thought about her current situation: while she regrets not being with her family for the occasion, she still felt mildly comforted to have a place away from home to celebrate Thanksgiving.

"HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING IN HERE?" A voice bellowed from the other end of the viewing room. Startled, Claire stood up too quickly that caused her legs to wobble slightly at the sudden dizziness.

Claire placed a palm on the glass to steady herself. She looked at the young man who approached her and was clearly pissed at her. "This exhibit's closed for the day," he said irritably.

Claire instantly realized that the guy was the new hire for the T-Rex Kingdom's security team. She glanced at his badge. "Brad, I'm aware that you're the newest member of the security team for Paddock 9. My name's Claire Dearing and I'm usually here late at night. Ross and his team know I often go here."

Brad scoffed, not believing her. "Right. And you're here to take a nice stroll next to a meat-eating monster," he mocked. "I'm pretty sure boss Ross doesn't allow anybody to be here after hours."

Claire was about to retort when Brad cut her off by grabbing her forearm. "What kind of person would make these kinds of visits late at night? You must be insane."

Claire winced from his grasp and made to pull away when Brad tightened his grip on her. Claire cried out in pain. "What the hell? Let go!"

All of a sudden, a strong force knocked both of them to the floor. Claire rubbed her lower back as she heard the glass enclosure cracking; next to her, Brad was cursing at something beyond the glass. It took a moment for Claire to absorb what was happening: Rexy, who must have seen the squabble between Claire and Brad, was trying to break through the glass.

Claire flailed her arms to get the T-Rex's attention away from Brad. "Rexy, don't!"

The T-Rex briefly glanced at her with its piercing eyes, but did not stop her rampage. She took a few steps back then rammed her head on the glass. Claire could tell Rexy was hurt; a few of the broken glass penetrated one side of her head. Claire shook her head violently, "Rexy, stop! You'll get hurt!"

From the corner of her eye, Claire saw an ACU squadron take positions high above Rexy's paddock, pointing their tranquilizing guns at the dinosaur. At least a dozen tranquilizer darts hit her until she completely stopped moving. Claire held back a terrified scream as she saw the dinosaur fall heavily on the ground.

In a few minutes, the ACU members marched within the viewing room, all of them carrying their weaponry. A few employees and security personnel who worked at Paddock 9 came in as well, followed by a surprised-looking Owen Grady who held a tranquilizer gun similar to the ones the ACU members have.

"What the hell is going on here?" asked Ross, head of security for Paddock 9. "Brad?"

Brad pointed an accusing finger at Claire. "That lady over there says that she visits here at the paddock this late at night."

"Brad, Claire Dearing manages the park," Ross clarified patiently. Claire lifted an eyebrow to show her displeasure while Ross continued explaining the whole situation, "And yes, she visits here often at this time of the night. As to why she does – that is up to Miss Dearing to share."

"And it's completely alright if she chooses not to," interjected Owen, glancing at Claire.

Claire looked away from Owen's intense gaze and looked at Brad, who was beet red; Claire wasn't sure if it was from sheer embarrassment, anger, or both. An awkward silence permeated the room until one of the ACU members cleared his throat and addressed his team to return to their headquarters. Ross and the security team ushered their people, instructing them to take Rexy's blood sample since tonight was her scheduled checkup anyway.

That left Claire and Owen by themselves in the room. Claire thought she should be feeling uncomfortable in his presence after that fiasco of a date, but in that moment, everything didn't matter but the dinosaur who had tried to protect her.

Owen was the first to break the silence. "What happened, Claire? Why did Rexy do that?"

"She saw Brad grab me by the arm. I was in distress and she knew it," Claire answered. There was no doubt in her heart and mind about what Rexy tried to do. "She wanted to protect me."

There was a hint of a smile on Owen's lips as he nodded slowly, taking in her words. Claire wasn't at all surprised that Owen immediately understood – he had a special bond with his raptors and knew that they would protect him at all costs. For Owen, the special bond he had with his girls was similar to the special bond that had formed between Claire and the T-Rex.

"I want to see her," said Claire, her voice taking on a more commanding tone. She watched as some of the employees approached the immobilized dinosaur for the usual check-up. Owen gave a curt nod and gestured for her to follow him. When they reached the inside of her paddock, Claire walked past a silent Owen and stood just mere inches from her friend.

Claire held her breath and, with some hesitation, placed her hand on the rough surface of Rexy's head. Claire felt a wave of emotions overwhelm her: sadness, fear, and most of all, immense gratitude for the magnificent creature before her.

She kneeled next to the subdued T-Rex as she kept her hand on Rexy's head, the dinosaur's eyes following her every movement. All the emotions she felt were all replaced with guilt, knowing that her friend was hurt trying to protect her. Claire felt weak and helpless as she watched Rexy close her eyes in exhaustion.

A tear rolled down Claire's cheek. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

It was her fault, Claire told herself. She knew ever since she was little that getting attached to people and animals often caused pain and heartache to her and those she loved.

At five years old, Claire and Karen's parents had given them a dog for Christmas that they adopted from a shelter; the dog became her friend and playmate. One day, while she was playing in the front lawn of their house, a drunk driver careened towards her and would have hit her were it not for her dog, who pushed her out of the way. While Claire only suffered a few bruises and scrapes, her loyal dog had passed away.

During her grief, she found the most comfort from her older sister with whom she shared her secrets and dreams. Even though they occasionally fought like most siblings do, Claire saw Karen as her best friend and role model. When Claire was in elementary school, Karen suffered a sprained wrist when she defended her little sister from a few school bullies who stole her lunch money one day.

It was through those experiences that Claire grew up convincing herself that she needed to put a distance between herself and those she cared for. Claire felt that trouble always followed her and the people she was close to got hurt instead of her.

It was after the night that Rexy tried to break through the glass that Claire was reminded that she had to restrain herself from becoming close to people or animals. She had let herself be vulnerable by bonding with an animal (a dinosaur, no less!) and it brought pain to both her and her T-Rex friend. She couldn't let that happen again, so she swore that she would no longer visit the paddock unless it was for business purposes.

* * *

A few weeks have passed and Claire hasn't been at the paddock for her late night visits, afraid of the consequences it might bring to her and Rexy. It pained her not to be there, especially when she would hear the T-Rex roar during those late night hours. When Claire felt restless at night, she would tire herself with the paperwork she would bring home from her office instead of visiting the T-Rex in her paddock. However, it didn't help erase the feeling of loss and emptiness she felt.

Claire was buried in a pile of contracts she had to review before she could hand it to Masrani when someone knocked on her door. She was working in her office late tonight (Zara was on leave for a few days so she can organize her upcoming nuptials) because she always preferred to finish all her work days before the deadline. "Come in," said Claire, not looking up from the documents she was reading.

"Do you even get any sleep anymore?" The voice from her visitor made Claire shot her head up so quickly she thought she was going to pull a muscle. Owen Grady stood before her, his hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face.

Claire leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms. "Can I help you, Mr. Grady?"

"She misses you, you know."

"Who?"

"The T-Rex."

Claire uncrossed her arms and gripped the armrests of her chair. The familiar twinge of guilt and emptiness came at her in full force. Her actions were not missed by Owen. He took a step closer until only her desk was between them.

"You miss her, too," he said matter-of-factly.

"You don't know what I feel," she snapped.

"I don't know everything about you, Claire," Owen said, his eyes softening as he gazed at her. "What I do know is that despite your cold attitude, you're still a softie."

"Excuse me?"

"If you weren't, you wouldn't have spent so much of your time visiting Rexy in her enclosure," he continued, eyes never leaving hers.

"It shouldn't have happened in the first place," she told him, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears. Just this once, she wanted to feel completely vulnerable. She laughed bitterly. "Every time I get attached to anything, something bad happens."

"Oh Claire…" In a few strides, Owen rounded her desk and gathered Claire in his arms as she poured out her frustration, exhaustion, and the heartache through her tears. She needed this, needed comfort from someone who seemed to want to be there for her. But she knew she shouldn't – if she let herself connect to Owen, who knew what bad thing would happen to them… to him?

She needed to rebuild her walls and defend herself from more heartache and misery.

Claire sniffed twice before she pushed herself away from Owen, resuming back to her icy disposition. "If that's all you want to say, Mr. Grady, I have a lot of work I still have to finish."

Owen shifted his weight from one foot to another. "We need to talk... about what happened to our date."

"There's nothing to talk about. It's perfectly clear that we're not at all compatible."

He shot her a disbelieving look and took a step back. "I disagree with that statement."

"I completely respect your opinion, Mr. Grady, but I'm afraid there's no attraction between us," Claire stated firmly even though her heart told her otherwise. She couldn't – wouldn't – allow herself to be attached to anything or anyone ever again. Awful things seemed to always happen when she let herself connect to others.

For a moment, a hurt look flashed in Owen's eyes before he straightened his posture and matched her glare. "I'll leave you to your work then."

Claire buried her head in her arms as the door slammed after Owen.

* * *

A few days after Owen's unwanted visit, Claire was sprawled on her back as she listened to Rexy's roar in the middle of the night. Every muscle in her body was on alert while her brain was having an internal debate if she should give in to her desire of making a visit that was long overdue.

" _She misses you, you know."_ Owen's words echoed in her head.

Maybe she was being too cowardly to still have the same mentality she has since she was little. Maybe, just maybe, Claire should just let go and not be so scared of being close to something or someone any longer. It was time for her to accept that bad things happen – either to her or someone she cares for – and that sometimes, it is through those unwelcomed experiences where she can truly find herself.

As Claire pondered at that thought, a small smile graced her features. Nodding to herself, she leapt from the bed and grabbed a jacket from her closet. She hastily made her way to the one place she thought she should never visit again: Paddock 9.

Ross, head security for Paddock 9, noticed Claire approach the gate and acknowledged her with a smile and a tip of his cap. "Miss Dearing, it's been a while," Ross said, his tone amused.

"It's been too long," Claire responded as she ascended the stairs to the viewing room.

Claire stopped suddenly and looked at the hand that grasped the knob of the door that would lead her to the familiar room enclosed in thick glass. Should she go in? What if Rexy didn't want to see her anymore since Claire has stopped visiting a while back? Would Rexy – a dinosaur that should have been extinct millions of years ago – even have a good memory to remember Claire?

Ultimately, Claire's longing to see her T-Rex friend again overweighed her doubts. She entered the dimly lit room, feeling a familiar wave of silence and peace wash over her as she walked towards the newly repaired glass and gave it a few taps. However, the creature she wanted to see was nowhere in sight and Claire felt a pang of sadness overcome her. The sound of Rexy's roars were absent, too.

As Claire was about to depart, she heard heavy footfalls before a low growl reverberated throughout the room and the paddock. With a relieved sigh, the red-head turned around and was greeted by the face of Rexy looming just beyond the glass. And just like every one of their greetings in the past, the T-Rex obscured Claire's view of her momentarily with a fog from her exhalation.

As the fog cleared, Claire placed a hand on the glass and closed her eyes, reveling in the content feeling that replaced her earlier anxiousness and uneasiness. She smiled. "I'm back."

* * *

SHORT EPILOGUE:

That had been three days ago. The next time Claire was back in Paddock 9, she had asked Lowery to open its heavy gates to release the beast from within. It was a big gamble when she let Rexy lose, but Claire was running out of ideas on how to stop the hybrid that ran amok in Jurassic World.

A part of Claire feared for her life when the gates opened and she saw the light of the flare reflected on Rexy's penetrating stare. But as Rexy slowly approached her, Claire surprisingly felt relieved and safe. With a few small nods – she wasn't sure if it was to herself or to the T-Rex before her – Claire turned around and ran the distance to Main Street where she threw the flare on the Indominus, falling on the ground in the process. For a few seconds, Claire felt dread because she knew Rexy was right behind her and could have eaten her while she struggled to stand up on tired legs.

But Rexy didn't. Instead, the T-Rex turned to face the hybrid with Claire behind her. As Claire looked on with Rexy's back to her, she knew that the T-Rex wasn't going to devour her.

Instead of fear, Claire felt grateful, believing with all her heart that Rexy was protecting Claire as the T-Rex tried to exert her dominance over the Indominus-Rex, the outsider in Rexy's world. As she watched the dinosaurs fight, Claire sent a silent prayer to the heavens that her friend and protector will come out victorious.

{}{}{}

"Claire?"

Claire – who was dozing off on one of the chairs in the ferry bound to the mainland – looked up to see a smiling Owen take the seat next to her.

"So…" Owen started.

"So what?"

"So how did you get the idea of releasing Rexy?"

"It was Gray's idea, really," she replied. "It was when he said 'more teeth' that gave me the crazy idea of setting Rexy loose. I didn't really think it would work… I just hoped it did."

"What if, just what if… both the T-Rex and the Indominus teamed up instead of fight each other?" Owen asked, voice somber as he thought of that alternate possibility. That scenario happened with his own raptors, which turned against him and the others at some point during the whole ordeal. It had been hard for Owen to see his girls not recognize him for a time, but in the end, his bond with his girls was stronger than the temporary claim of the Indominus over the raptors.

"I don't think that would have happened," Claire answered, a faraway look on her face.

Owen gave her a slightly amused look. "Explain."

"Because she knew I was in trouble," Claire responded, remembering that small incident with the T-Rex trying to break through the glass to get to a distressed Claire. That felt like such a long time ago…

As they gazed at Jurassic World that was slowly getting smaller in the distance, Claire and Owen heard a faint but powerful roar coming from the island; both immediately knew it belonged to the creature that had saved their lives. A bittersweet smile made its way on Claire's face as she realized that she was surely going to miss those late night visits to Paddock 9.

For Claire - despite the tragedy caused by the Indominus Rex – there were a few positive things that came out from the whole incident. One of them was the fact that her T-Rex friend was no longer confined by the walls of her paddock. She deserved to be free.

Because the island was her kingdom, and she was the queen.

[ FIN ]

* * *

A/N:

\- The inspiration for this two-part story was from one of the scenes near the end of JW. It was when Claire threw the flare on then Rexy barges in… Claire falls on the ground while Rexy stands in front of her as Rexy gets ready to fight the I-Rex…  
\- I felt like the T-Rex (in a way) protected her as it faced the I-Rex… I don't know? I just liked the idea (and there are already stories about this) that the T-Rex and Claire somehow had some kind of connection. Call me crazy, but I really liked this headcanon :D  
\- Okay, I really made it up when I wrote that the T-Rex gene used for the Indominus Rex came from Rexy. It served a purpose for this story.

My sincerest apologies that it took this long to complete this story. I had to make several changes until I felt satisfied with the entire thing. Thank you to everyone who waited for the final chapter!

Special thanks to the following people who left reviews for Ch.1: piper, Audriel, janey's got a gun, belllllllll, pauulamartiinez, Apache Thunderbird, yops, IfUKnewUCouldNotFail, Prayer Girl, tyraleanne, and guests!

Reviews and likes are always appreciated!

Yours Truly, HG


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